Power Projects: Group Asks Fashola To Expose Erring Contractors

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) wants the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, to publish the names of erring contractors and companies since 1999.

A rights group, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability
Project (SERAP) has asked the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde
Fashola, to expose erring contractors and companies that collected money for
projects without completing them.

SERAP said it sent a Freedom of Information request to the
minister, stating that it expected the list to cover the period from the return of
democracy in 1999 to 2018.

According to SERAP, former Nigeria’s Vice President and Presidential candidate
of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, reportedly blew the
whistle on Channels TV when he said, “Contractors were given some contracts for
power projects and were paid hundred percent upfront.

“The money went down the drain. Up till now, we are not holding
the contractors responsible.

“People have collected money upfront one hundred percent and
have disappeared; and have not even done any work".

SERAP emphasised that “the revelation by Atiku is entirely consistent
with SERAP’s recent report titled: From Darkness to Darkness: How Nigerians are
Paying the Price for Corruption in the Electricity Sector, which also revealed
how over 11 trillion Naira meant to provide regular electricity supply was
allegedly squandered by politicians and contractors under successive
governments”.

In the FOI request dated 4 January, 2019 and signed by SERAP senior legal
adviser, Bamisope Adeyanju, the organisation said: “By publishing the names of
the contractors and their registration details, if any, Nigerians will be
better able to hold them to account for allegedly absconding with public funds
meant for electricity projects, thereby throwing the country into perpetual
darkness and socio-economic stagnation as well as denying people their human
rights".

The organisation also believes that “publishing the names will make it
hard for contractors and companies to get away with complicity in grand
corruption".

It further threatened that “if the requested information is not
provided within 14 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter, SERAP
shall take all appropriate legal actions under the Freedom of Information Act
to compel you to comply with our request”.

“SERAP is concerned that to date no contractors or companies who
allegedly collected money for electricity projects not executed or poorly
executed have been investigated for corruption let alone prosecuted and fined.

Senior public officials who apparently served as intermediaries
for these contractors and companies continue to escape justice,” a statement by the group read.

If you enjoyed reading this and our other stories, please, share with friends and loved ones.